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User blog:SWLover2/D.I.T. Literary Universe books, ranked from worst to best
After 13 years, 35 books, and dozens of websites, the D.I.T. Literary Universe isn't even published yet, and yet it shows no signs of slowing down. "The Inferno Relit" was released quite recently and despite its flaws, it gave great insight to the Solar System after the Second NoHead War. "Shields" opened new doors for the franchise, especially by letting us see Jupiter firsthand. "Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude" was also a much-expected breakthrough upon its release, and the final conclusion to "The X-Adults: Endgame" trilogy is coming in December, followed by "Convergence" next year. But a lot will change for the DLU after this year. D. Isaac Thomas, reaching his eighteenth year, is nearly ready to publish "The Prime Poppies", perhaps worldwide. He has said he expects that to happen within the end of this year, at which point he'll get the green light to begin his long and illustrious career. It comes at a good time, as the end of the 2010s could hardly mark a better time for a fresh new series of fictional universes that all connect, with plenty of cinematic potential, now that almost everything we read or watch is an extension of something else or of world history. But before the DLU faces a big uprising, I've ranked all 34 books — including "Shields" — from worst to best. Here's every D.I.T. Literary Universe book ranked from worst to best. 35. The Man Who Talked to the Wall 2 in an unmemorable situation.]] The Man Who Talked to the Wall 2 is the worst of the bunch, which is sad when taking into consideration just how great the first book was three years prior. But it came out at one of the most vulnerable periods in D. Isaac Thomas' life (enough said), and was more of an overstuffed suitcase full of universe-connecting subplots than an actual chapter book. 34. Journey to Planet 12 II It's almost pointless to compare the first two Annie McCallin books, as they're both toward the bottom of the DLU barrel. But "Journey to Planet 12 II" is a joke to the rest of "Prelude to Peace", which didn't exactly run like a stable conveyor belt, which is clearly because D. Isaac Thomas was still in elementary school, and Annie and Savannah suffer most of all for that. Imagine Helen McKeen being around when DJ makes his infamous joke about true love (Why fall in love when you can fall into a good book?). I just can't. 33. Sebiscuits Cardarphen: Apocalypse Sebiscuits Cardarphen: Apocalypse is one of the weakest DLU books to date, but it still stands out as one of the greatest Christmas novels that disguises itself as an action book. It takes place after Operation: Purge and sets up the reason Baby Intelligence is hated in "Pride of the Super Babies". It's the introduction to the badass Dante Christensen, and really sets an excellent tone for the dark yet adorable introduction to the legendary Baby Intelligence. Plus it is Christmas! 32. Diary of a Troubled Seventh Grader This "Zachary Brown" sequel made the same mistake as "The Man Who Talked to the Wall 2": cramming too much into its plot to serve the future of the franchise. The book features some crazy situations and hilarious jokes, notably the part when Zach assumes there'll be a standardized test. But it fails to distinguish the Dark Priest from other one-sided DLU villains, and it spends way too much time reminding us that Zach is a sarcastic and vain bastard. Honestly, the entire book - which warrants a six out of ten - could have been avoided if Martha was smart enough not to let Zach eat sweets without knowing where they came from, especially if they're for Jon. (What exactly is Steven doing?) 31. Sebiscuits Cardarphen: Knightfall "Knightfall" is the most overrated book in the DLU. By 2015, books like "Superquack II" and "Zero to Hero" had progressed the DLU into new territory, but "Knightfall" felt like a step back. Sure, the fights were cool, but it also relied on a formulaic plot with a badass yet one-dimensional female character. (How do you not give Paige Nelson more to do?!) 30. The X-Children: The Return of the Verasect I don't like thinking about this book. It upsets me. It could have been so much better. The concept was great: a villain unintentionally brought back to power by our ambitious and overly confident child heroes, Master Intelligence and Lindsay Kellerman. But this book couldn't reignite the spark that died with "The Final Chapter". Instead, it made desperate attempts to do so, by adding more characters, parties, a random romance between Red X and Telekinibabe, a thing for Hardy to do that doesn't involve crushing a boulder, and a side plot for as many characters as possible, especially Nurse Rose and Tori Newell. The best thing this novel did was set up the friction between Lindsay and Master Intelligence for "The Latest Threat." 29. Before The SMSB: When is Prehistory? could make it an engaging read.]] Is "Before The SMSB: When is Prehistory?" uneven, unfocused, irrelevant to any other D.I.T. book, and too reliant on the barely written Leonard for its entire plot? Yes. But I love "Before The SMSB", and while this one is the weakest of the lot, it's still my guilty-pleasure read, especially because it's one of the most hated in the DLU. I love how the relationship between Leonard and his friends develops, but other than that there's little in the book that's noteworthy. Honestly, the entire book could have been avoided if somebody suggested the Lord of the Stone just move to the Rocky Mountains. What the hell is Noawen? 28. The X-Children: Where Are You Now? Remember all the hype regarding the continuation of Baby Intelligence's story arc? What a gas! The first The X-Children book is not bad by any means, and it's actually quite fun but mostly because Red X is in it. But it's a lot more formulaic than what the DLU books have become. It set up the wrong tone for the post-Annabeth universe being taken way too seriously. This whole thing could have been far better if there was a new villain, as opposed to Hell Burnbottom making a comeback with a band of thugs. 27. Before The SMSB: Who Will Hold Dominion? This was the point when D. Isaac Thomas decided to make a bad guy the main character — a controversial move that was applauded by those who felt it would give the author an opportunity to make the universe more diverse and less repetitive, and derided by others, who saw it as a naive money-grab. This novel knows exactly what it’s trying to be, and what it’s trying to be is dumb and fun and nothing else. And it does it exceptionally well, but somehow, it just isn't too memorable. 26. Diary of a Troubled Sixth Grader "Diary of a Troubled Eighth Grader" came out pretty recently, which is a threequel to this little book in which Zachary Brown, the little brat from "Boys vs. Girls 2", takes the lead. While it's a fun book and a nice variety from more action-packed DLU books and does little to connect the plot, this is a book you read for entertainment and entertainment only, and it certainly provides that. 25. Before The SMSB: What is a Bloodbath? Everybody on the DLU had really high expectations for the end of a legendary novel franchise, and to be honest I was looking forward to placing this one high on the list, but whether "What is a Bloodbath?" delivered is debatable. Does it have some rushed emotional moments and bad action scenes? Absolutely. But it also has some quite brutal and "Whoa" moments. What surprised me the most was the story which actually references a lot of the past books, expands the lore and ties some loose ends nicely. But in the future, critics will surely destroy this book. 24. Journey to Planet 12 There's almost no point in comparing the first two Annie McCallin books, as they're both toward the bottom of the DLU barrel. But "Journey to Planet 12" is a tad more fun than its sequel and it's integral in letting us know the solar system surely as heck isn't the limit in this franchise. The first Annie McCallin book is not bad by any means, and it's actually quite fun but mostly because Savannah van Dukas is in it. But it's a lot more formulaic than what the DLU books have become. It set up the wrong tone for Annie being taken way too seriously. But Prince Charlien turned out to be more than a butt-kisser, which turned out to be nice. Besides, Annie was already about to go back home to Earth and this picture book didn't even need a villain, but it had one anyway. 23. Before The SMSB: Where is the Darkness? clearly isn't at his best.]] Though "Where is the Darkness" is a step back from the second book in the series, it's still an important entry in the franchise — and a serious improvement on its fight scenes. Once again it's the characters that really make it, from Gummi the Bare to Bladepoint himself. 22. The Man Who Talked to the Wall "The Man Who Talked to the Wall" is a fun little D.I.T. book with plenty of laughs, but not much else. Roy Walltalker is charming, and Janice Walltalker is too. But the book still falls into familiar territory, including several rushed moments of peril, and a 5-scale villain called Reba. 21. The Super Babies: Book III: Revenge of Hell Burnbottom While Optica is endearing and Baby Intelligence is just as badass as ever, his badassery doesn't exactly get this book to the top of this list of the best D.I.T. books independently. The book is mostly all about Baby Intelligence fixing the biggest screw-up he's ever made and getting back on the Sheriff's good side. And while the romance between Carol and Coach Dorber kicks off in this installment and the Snake Island sequence is gold, the final fight, while original, is rather flat. The tone is flat too, and that unfortunately hurts this book a lot in the end. 20. Annie and the Blue-Eared Kid Before D. Isaac Thomas took on the First NoHead War, he clearly took a look at his writing and got it together. "Annie and the Blue-Eared Kid" is part sci-fi, part mystery, part "school life" that, in hindsight, set the standard for the DLU going forward. 19. The X-Adults: Endgame: The Inferno Relit As the first sequel in this new franchise, the book does improve on plot points from "The Latest Threat", though it also brings its own issues into the mix leaving much to be desired. On one hand, the Grover children were an amazing idea and the Dark Flame was indescribably badass. On the other hand, it was filled with too many characters, and desperately tried to stuff in references to previous installments of the DLU. That said, it's still a wonderful payoff to see how the stakes go up at the start of the book. 18. Superquack Remember when D. Isaac Thomas was really young and innocent? What a book this turned out to be. "Superquack" is arguably the first book that "mattered" in the DLU. While "The Prime Poppies" is better, "Superquack" sets up "The Super Babies" better than "The Prime Poppies," which basically acts as a prequel to "Shields". But ultimately it's the G-rated humor that really, really sells it. "Superquack" would prove essential to the books that came after — even "The Inferno Relit" with the unexpected return to Tutu Island. 17. Diary of a Troubled Eighth Grader "Diary of a Troubled Eighth Grader" is a great time on the Internet, and a perfect summer read. In a year where more "essential" D.I.T. books like "Boys vs. Girls 2" and "The Latest Threat" wowed readers, "Diary of a Troubled Eighth Grader" manages to be just as entertaining but also stress-free — a welcome change of pace as a worthy "appetizer" for the dark beauty of "Boys vs. Girls 2". The book works out a lot of the kinks of the first two. The plot is fun, Ian's still a cutie, and Izzy steals the show. 16. Sebiscuits Cardarphen: Dawn of Transcendence After providing us with a remarkable yet extremely edgy beginning of Baby Intelligence, we now get to see him representing the Grand Army with all the selfless, youthful enthusiasm and charm he's always had. Still, "Dawn of Transcendence" feels at times like it's trying too hard to separate itself from "Pride of the Super Babies" beginning a little late in Baby Intelligence's quest to destroy the NoHeads. This book has been an exciting addition to the DLU, though, and Sebiscuits Cardarphen steals the show. And Minister Maggot is truly menacing in what began a hot streak for villains in the DLU. 15. Boys vs. Girls: The Rise of the Serpent What D. Isaac Thomas has made is a darker and more action-oriented, though ultimately weaker book to the first installment that often manages to disguise how over extended the narrative is. Instead of the painfully repetitive story structure of building up with minor skirmishes and self-righteous villains which Thomas actually did surprisingly well back then, this book promises a lot of engaging storytelling that is well-done for the most part. The most irritating thing about this book is the unnecessary Charles-Valiera drama that they just had to pull Summer into, and while it makes more sense in "Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude", it still doesn't explain why Summer was relevant to it at all. 14. Before The SMSB: Why Has The Storm Ceased? "Why Has The Storm Ceased" was the first "The Super Babies" extension that didn't feel like a rushed cash grab. It's an important entry in the franchise from a story standpoint — but it's also just a hilarious, fun, self-contained book that turned Baby Intelligence's mentor and a group of new characters he calls friends into fan favorites. It's kind of lacking in its fight scenes, but it's the characters that really make it, from the dynamic between Gummi and the Object to the charismatic Roxanne to the oblivious Joseph. They don't like each other at first, but the reader loves them as soon as they're introduced. 13. The Super Babies: Book II: The Blabberish Singer "The Blabberish Singer" is one of the best DLU books of all time. It takes place after the Battle of the Fifth NoHead Base in the first Super Babies book, and explores Baby Intelligence's PTSD. It's one of the first books in the DLU to show real consequences to our heroes' horrific experiences, and really sets an excellent tone for what the books are like now. 12. Shields Maybe in time "Shields" will inch higher on this list. But for now, it's a solid entry into the DLU, but not a fantastic one. D. Isaac Thomas is at his best in the character-driven aspects of the book, and that's saying something. Unfortunately, it's the action the book is lacking, which hurts it by the end. Gerekrigkit is the perfect protagonist, though, and there's no doubt Thomas' villain streak hasn't broken. But in the end, it's G-Kit's relationships with Tom and Brian that make the novel. There are also some surprising twists that elicited plenty of reactions from readers. 11. Boys vs. Girls: The Coming Darkness "The Coming Darkness" is loosely inspired by a childrens' book from the same mind that wrote the "Scott Pilgrim" books that pits the residents of a school against one another over the ethics of their futures and roles as genders. This 30-chapter prologue is obviously a bit cringeworthy, but strangely, that's what makes it so good. It takes a huge storyline and successfully tells it through both Steven Thompson and Emily Watson's perspectives, making it even more personal. 10. Superquack II "Superquack II" is definitely better than the rest of the DLU sequels...except for "Boys vs. Girls 2". Like the sequel to "Pride of the Super Babies", it demonstrates the real consequences of being a hero, even when it comes to destroying an army of animals or robots disguised as Cuckoo Clocks. Being released at the end of D. Isaac Thomas' depression phase in 2013, "Superquack II" is dark and heartwarming at the same time, and it really sets an excellent tone for what the books are like now. 9. The Prime Poppies The first book — and still among the best — "The Prime Poppies" kicked off what has become the best novel franchise of all time, despite being one of the DLU's only picture books. But in 2006, it was just a fun "together makes better" kid flick written by an innocent kindergarten student that defied the odds. Plus Wayne and Potty will both always be unforgettable characters. 8. Baby Intelligence: Zero to Hero "Baby Intelligence: Zero to Hero" gets less love than I think it deserves. Depicting the prelude of the Second NoHead War, it builds on everything the original series presented in compelling ways. Sure, some of the humor may feel forced compared to the first five books, but it overall punches its audience in the gut with emotional stakes and some gut-wrenching moments while still being a fun read. 7. Boys vs. Girls: The Fate of the Towers steals the spotlight.]] Much like the previous entry, "The Fate of the Towers" gets less love than I think it deserves. I admittedly didn't fully appreciate it until after analyzing it on Wikia, but it builds on everything the first two books presented in compelling ways. Sure, some of the humor and romance may feel forced compared to the first two, but it overall punches its audience in the gut with emotional stakes while still being a perfect way to end the trilogy. 6. The Super Babies: Book IV: An Ended Generation I admittedly didn't appreciate this book until rereading it, but it packs onto the series in new and compelling ways, setting the stones for the time travel adventure that concluded the series. From compelling characters to plot to action to dialogue, "An Ended Generation" nails it giving the book a dark feeling but also one of hope. There are so many memorable scenes I can't even decide which is my favorite. The action, like the fights at The Gas Stop and the Eastern Field, are spot-on, and most of all the undying friendship and loyalty and utter co-dependency that's been keeping this franchise together, all makes this novel hard to criticize at all. The descriptions were unbelievably good for a fifth grader and the ending left under the right pretenses. 5. The Super Babies: Book V: The Final Chapter Easily one of the best DLU books of all time, "The Final Chapter" ends this incredibly well-written series with tremendous grace and a beautifully orchestrated climax that rolls wonderfully between excitement, thrills and emotional drama towards a satisfactory (though a slightly rushed) conclusion. There are at least 2 sequences so powerful that I defy anyone not to at least stifle a tear or choke a little. What an amazing achievement to faithfully bring Thomas' epic series to a stop, maintaining the brilliant quality right to the end. 4. Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude "Prelude" is unlike any other DLU book to date, one that says something about our reality in ways the rest of the D.I.T. Literary Universe doesn't (despite his best intentions). It elevates D.I.T. literature to thrilling new heights while telling one of the DLU's most absorbing stories — and either introducing or reinforcing some of its most fully realized characters, making for some of the most complex ones in D.I.T. history and leaving behind plenty of unanswered questions to the imagination. Thomas' retelling of his own past with Charles and Luke Norris facing off against Natalia Thornton and Miranda Patrick with brains, mouths, and keyboards instead of laser swords, guns, and spears resulted in a nuanced thematic conflict that puts most D.I.T. storylines to shame. Bring on "The New Order"! 3. The Super Babies: Book I: Pride of the Super Babies I love Annabeth! And she is great in this. The first "The Super Babies" book captures the spirit of the first part of the DLU, while taking more risks that pave the way for its ambitious future. I loved seeing the trio resolve their differences and come together to destroy the most powerful evildoer who did or ever will live according to Sir Edgar. (Evil'll continue to exist, just ask Hell Burnbottom, but no one as powerful as Mr. Stupid NoHead will ever exist again.) D. Isaac Thomas really developed these characters and kept a steady and engaging plot going. And while the descriptions of the Battle of the Fifth NoHead Base's action is confusing at best, I think it does a great job at establishing their universe and making it more important than Superquack and Morgan's story arc. It's too bad Thomas couldn't do this with "When is Prehistory?". 2. Boys vs. Girls 2 Is the book a little inconsistent in places and a smack in the face for Steven-Helen shippers? Absolutely. But "Boys vs. Girls 2" carries on the trend of epic subplots and well-written villains D. Isaac Thomas has been shelling out recently, and is one of the most praised DLU books of all time. There's a reason for that: the romance is realistic and heartwarming and doesn't feel forced at all, every character's post-Watson personality is at least developed a little bit, and the book bears a unique style and world unseen in other DLU books. From the Force-vs.-Black Magic duels to gladiator ring fights to sky duels with an avatar of a solar body, "Boys vs. Girls 2" still feels epic even compared to "The Latest Threat." The DLU is at its best when Thomas collaborates with his friends on official projects, and he certainly didn't pull this off by himself. It's better because of it. 1. The X-Adults: Endgame: The Latest Threat 2018 has been a great year for the DLU, and it started in January with "The X-Adults: Endgame: The Latest Threat", which not only raised the stakes none of the other books have, but it also blew away everybody's expectations. That's for good reason, too: It features two complex, sympathetic villains, a completely new villain type as the Styricat, a band of religious zealots, and a unique style and sense of hitherto heard of means to define the word "ultimate". Lindsay Kellerman is a far more relatable character than Master Intelligence and the book's even better because of it. "The Latest Threat" follows up on its 13-year promise of being the biggest D.I.T. book of all time, and probably the best book I've ever read coming to compete with the "Star Wars" novelizations. Category:Blog posts